The heat, more saleyard markets coming on line after the holiday period and an active over-the-trade at this time of the year have armed buyers with the necessary means to further ease demand in the physical market.

The hot and at times blustery weather conditions over the past week have also encouraged more active selling. The hot weather of late has turned and reduced the quality of pastures and stubbles making producers more eager to sell before stock condition and freshness is lost.

This is in spite of last week’s record supply that afforded buyers the latitude to trim prices initially.

This week’s saleyard supply although reduced by 25 per cent still remained relatively high at 61,000 head. Most centres managed to reign in their numbers during the week with the exception of Bendigo Monday where a slightly larger penning was offered.

The National Livestock Reporting Service said the majority of this yarding was heavy shorn lambs and these were hit hardest averaging $10-$15 cheaper.

This trimmed selling rates back to a trading range of 390-410 cents a kilogram for heavy weights and 350-380c/kg for extra heavies.

Heavy lambs made $92-$124 while extra heavy weights made $117-$129.

The service quoted heavy trade lambs $2-$10 cheaper and also easing back into the same 390-410c/kg trading range.

Heavy trade lambs made $75-$106 while light trade lambs varied from firm to $5-$6 cheaper with restore demand principally unaltered.

**Extract from full wrap-up of the week's prime markets by prime market analyst Murray Arnel, to appear in Stock & Land, January 22.